A Desert Rose

"Stop it! Stop it!" Makina screamed out, falling to the ground as the girl behind her shoved her forward. She hit the ground hard and tried to push herself back up, but a sudden harsh pressure onher back kept her from moving.

A boy a few years older knelt down in front of her. She saw something gleaming in his hands and her eyes opened wide when she saw it was a pair of scissors.

Tears fell from her eyes as she sobbed. "W-Why are you guys doing this?"

Kina really didn't understand. She was just going to the store like her aunt had asked when two kids tackled her by the playground. They'd spent several minutes just tossing and shoving her between them...and making fun of everything they could about her. She couldn't understand why. 

She had no idea who they were, but they knew her somehow...or at least they knew what family she came from. 

"Ayako! Can you shut the Ashado brat up already?! It's annoying to hear her cry!" The boy yelled at the girl, casting a glare in Makina's direction. 

"Why don't you figure something out?! It's hard enough holding her down, Ryuji! You're lucky I'm even helping you!" The girl yelled back, and the pressure on top of Kina increased.

"Please stop! I didn't do anything to you! I just wanted to go to the store!" She yelled out and tried to squirm away from Ayako. She held her firmly in place.

"Just shut up Ashado-san! You and your stupid sister need to learn your place! You may have been important once, but your attitudes need to be brought down. You have no important ties to this village anymore!"

 The boy, Ryuji, grabbed Kina's long ponytail and tugged it harshly. She whimpered in pain.

"Your dad isn't part of the council anymore. You don't even have a dad anymore. You're not ninjas...you're nothing! Nothing but spoiled brats that treat everyone else like trash!" 

Ryuji took his scissors and went to cut Makina's hair, right where she had the ribbon tied to keep it out of her way. Makina squirmed more and he cut it in half, accidentally slashing at her left cheek in the process. The thin red line along her cheek stung and she struggled harder.

"Please stop this. I'm sorry if Amaya was mean to you! Just leave me alone...please!!! I don't even know who you are!"

Makina hated her sister so much. She was always doing something to get Kina in trouble, but it happened so often that rarely ever payed attention anymore. It was just how she was. Their aunt raised her with the thought that she was perfect and would make a picture perfect bride for some rich man who would support her so she'd never have to work at anything but looking pretty.  She figured anyone who wasn't richer than the family wasn't worth the time, just like their aunt thought. So she treated most everyone in the village pretty poorly. Makina figured she must have made fun of these two pretty badly.

She should have known she'd make enemies with her attitude, but she never thought anyone would take their anger out on her, which made her worse in her sister's opinion.

"Ryuji! Stop! I think you actually hurt her!"

"So? What do you care? We both agreed on this."

"I know...but I thought we were going after Kimi first! I don't even know how old this brat is...but she looks small." She paused and Kina felt her shift on top of her.  "Just cut the other one and hurry up then!"

Makina thrashed around and screamed when he grabbed her other pigtail. She shut her eyes when he pulled it hard. 

Suddenly he let go and screams filled her ears. The weight on her back dissapeared and her eyes opened to see Ryuji completely surrounded by sand. Ayako was running away, but a thin line of sand wound around her leg, pulling her to the ground. Looking to her left, she saw Gaara. 

He glared at the screaming bullies and his extended hand slowly started to ball into a fist. They screamed louder and she knew he was hurting them.

"Stop! Stop!" Ryuji yelled out, but Gaara didn't waver. His hand only closed tighter.

Kina slowly stood up and looked to her closest friend.

"Gaara-kun...let them go...please." She said softly, walking towards him and reaching for his arm. She didn't want them to get hurt any more. He got them away from her already and she knew that was enough help. 

Gaara looked at her and didn't move. "You're bleeding, Kina-chan. They hurt you..."

She nodded but gently pushed his arm down.

"Thank you for helping me...but please let them go."

After a few moments, the sand fell and the two ran away, screaming. The word "monster" reached Kina's ears and her hands balled into fists. Part of her had wanted Gaara to crush them, but another part of her didn't want him to add more reason for the villagers to dislike him...especially if it was her fault.

Gaara ignored them and gently pulled her towards his house.

"Yashamaru will make you all better." He said, looking at the bleeding scratch on his friends cheek and the light trickle of blood coming from it.

She nodded and followed close behind him, holding back tears. She reached at the cut pigtail and bit her lip. She had just started liking how her hair was and now this.

Gaara sensed Kina's unhappiness as she reached his house and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. 

"Don't be upset, Kina-chan. Nobody will hurt you again...and everything will go back to normal."

Makina was silent as the two of them went to see Yashamaru and Gaara explained what happened. 

She was bandaged up and Yashamaru offered to walk her home to tell her aunt that she was alright. Makina accepted and turned to say goodbye to Gaara. Yashamaru suggested it would be best for him to stay behind.

Without thinking she wrapped her arms around Gaara's neck. He was shocked at first but soon returned the hug. He was warm and she smiled just slightly before slowly releasing him to head back home. Kina never mentioned it...but in that moment all her unhappiness was suddenly washed away. She knew that so long as he was there for her everything would be alright.